Let me guess. Your week last week looked exactly like every week before it. You lived the same work and school schedule, including the unexpected overtime. The kids found yet another way to outdo themselves and involved you in something that only adds to your already exceptional to-do list.
Perhaps you have been meaning to get around to expressing intimacy with your spouse because you didn’t let it happen for far too many days. There were more meals than you’d like to admit where you ate something out of convenience instead of how it served your body and health.
Maybe your family has been nagging you to come over. In your mind, you’d rather spend any calm moment in your own family unit instead of committing to anyone else. The house was tidied up but still hasn’t had a good deep clean in God knows how long. You’ve been meaning to hit the gym ever since your New Year’s resolution dwindled out weeks ago.
We are Creatures of Habit
I get it. The lives that we live are continuously challenged by how much can be squeezed out of us. In all honesty, I don’t think it would be too far-fetched to say that there is a handful of actions that you take each day based out of habit.
Perhaps you eat similar foods each morning after making your coffee the same way you’ve had it since you began drinking coffee. You have the same morning routine with your family before everyone goes on their way.
If you leave the house to go to work, you take the same route there and get upset when you see that someone has parked in ‘your spot.’ You talk to the same people at work as you go through the motions of your day. When you finally get off, you have the same methodical procedures that must be marked off before you pack up and leave.
Again, you take the same way home from work. Perhaps you use the excuse of it being Monday in order to hit a drive thru. After all, you shouldn’t have to cook dinner tonight. When you do get home, you already feel drained. You consider hitting the gym but tell yourself that you’d rather stay home with your family.
As per usual, you help with homework, tidy up anything that is obviously out of place, take a shower and hit social media like your life depends on it. You scroll and scroll, check out YouTube videos and before you know it, it’s an hour later than you planned on sleeping. As you head off to bed, your spouse makes a timid attempt as instigating intimacy with you. Instead of reciprocating, you stress how difficult your day was. You both nod off to sleep, perhaps one much later than the other.
The Truth
I found a great article that explains how as humans, we are creatures of habit. “When we are doing something that is habitual, we are not engaged in the task in the same way as when we are doing something that is not habitual.” Let that sink in for a second. You do not experience life as well as you can if you are constantly living out of habit. You aren’t at fault for any of this. It is literally built into your makeup.
We perform (or don’t perform) actions based off of what we have created in our own reality. The great thing is that your habits do not have to be your destiny. You hold the key for change. It’s all a matter of willingness as to whether or not you will make changes that create meaning in your day.
One Easy Way to Change Habits
We have all heard of how important it is for us to take vacations. A study in 2018 revealed that only 62% of people nationally surveyed took a vacation away from home in 2017. This could be for a number of reasons but the study showed that it wasn’t solely dependent upon income. In turn, many of those that opted out of a vacation did so by choice. American’s are known to be workaholics. The survey is a prime demonstration of that.
It is no secret to those that know me that I meditate daily. Just like showering, it is a nonnegotiable for me. When someone meditates, it is important to have a way to make the meditation stimulating each time.
If I work with the same meditation each time or meditate in the same area, it will become habit. It will not be stimulating to me any longer and I am not likely to gain the same awakening impacts of the meditation.
It’s Time to Leave Home
Similar to meditation, we need a change of scenery in order to provoke stimulation in our lives. When we experience something new, we change our perception. In addition, creativity and excitement results. Taking a vacation whether local or not will allow you to get out of your comfort zone to some extent.
You’ll sleep in a different bed. The foods that you eat are not going to be what you are used to. Interactions with strangers and experiencing new sights and adventures will build on your awareness and allow you to expand and grow.
The Vulnerability of Travel
My husband and I travel internationally a lot. There is something to be said about the way it feels when we land in another country together. This new sense of vulnerability exists.
When we come into contact with other travelers, they too are experiencing the same uneasy feeling at first. Something amazing comes from this. We are able to be our true selves.
Most won’t care that they are acting like themselves because those they are around may never see them again. The truth is, most of our strongest friendships have stemmed from when we have taken group trips internationally.
It’s Time to Plan Something
If you have a place in mind that you have always wanted to visit, I encourage you to take the plunge. Sit down with your spouse and family and have a conversation around it. Decide what needs to happen in order to make it a reality.
Even the planning process will begin to stimulate excitement and give you something to look forward to. This is a gift for the entire family.
It’s time to take a time out and experience life outside of your comfort zone. You deserve to experience all that the world has to offer.
Make new memories and build the bond with your family. When you come back home, it is likely that this change of scenery will spark something new in your day-to-day living.
LEO Warriors, if any of this resonates with you, I want you to know that you are not alone. I think that a primitive warrior exists inside of you that is begging to come out. I can’t wait to meet you and help to uncover this for you. Sign up for our newsletter and click on our coaching link to schedule your first coaching session. Follow us on Instagram and Like us on Facebook @leowarriors1.
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